My Sacrifice Became His Betrayal Chapter 04
Marcus’s reply came at once. “Adrianna, once you set foot in our secret base, all your information will be erased.
“Even Howard won’t be able to find you. Have you truly thought it through?”
I smiled lightly, my resolve clear. “Yes, I have. I’ll leave tomorrow.”
The next instant, Marcus texted me an address.
It happened to be a kilometer away from the orphanage.
“What address?”
Howard’s voice startled me. I hurriedly locked my screen and brushed him off. “Nothing. A friend of mine wants to watch the adoption, so I gave him the address.”
I rarely lied to Howard, and my story was riddled with holes.
But he was too caught up in his own joy to notice anything unusual.
The next morning, Howard wasted no time and whisked me away to the orphanage.
The place, once quiet and forlorn, had become lively again thanks to the Atkinson family’s sponsorship.
The director was already holding the child and waiting at the gate. Beside him stood Madalyn, who appeared unaffected by the childbirth.
It was clear how well Howard had taken care of her all these years.
As soon as Howard got out of the car, he started discussing the adoption with the director. The fatherly love in his eyes nearly suffocated me.
With no one noticing, Madalyn suddenly seized my wrist and dragged me into an empty room.
After scrutinizing my face, she sneered. “It’s like looking in the mirror. No wonder Howie keeps you around for years.
“Adrianna, everyone says Howie loves you, but did he ever tell you that the child he’s adopting today is actually ours?”
In my stunned silence, Madalyn pinched my face, half-smiling. “You can’t even bear a child. What makes you think Howie still loves you?
“Adrianna, you’ve taken my place for ten years. Now, it’s time to give that back!”
I wrenched myself free, grinning as I retrieved a USB drive from my bag and passed it to Madalyn. “Get Howard to sign the divorce papers, and he’ll be all yours.”
Surprised by my composure, Madalyn chuckled. “I don’t care what game you’re playing, but I will make sure Howie signs it.”
I ignored her and strutted toward the door.
But Madalyn stopped me in my tracks and produced a red scarf from her bag, her voice rising, “Howie said you knitted this for him three years ago as a wedding gift.
“Guess how we’ll use it tonight?”
A lump formed in my throat, robbing me of breath.
Marcus sent me a message, urging me to head to the pickup point.
I gathered myself, left the orphanage with determination, and walked toward the car a kilometer away.
After Howard completed the adoption, he invited the guests to the hotel for a banquet.
Before setting off, he couldn’t find me anywhere. He tried calling, but it went straight to voicemail.
Howard’s heart clenched, panic building. Then he heard Madalyn say, “Maybe Adrianna has gone to the hotel ahead of us?”
Recalling what I said last night, he pushed his doubts aside and helped Madalyn into his car. The three of them rode merrily toward the hotel.
Ten minutes later, Madalyn sent me the signed e-divorce agreement. “Adrianna, you lost.”
I flashed a relieved smile. Then I instructed Susan to print the agreement, put it in the gift box on the nightstand, and take it to the hotel in half an hour.
After doing all this, I turned off my phone, tossed it into the pond by the road, and steadfastly climbed into the car Marcus had arranged.
As we drove off, a luxury car came our way. Inside, I saw Howard smiling and playing with the baby in Madalyn’s arms.
But the moment he recognized how familiar that face was, a wave of dread washed over him. Panicked, he reached for his phone to call me.
The voicemail played as Howard raised his head, meeting my gaze through the car window.
Instantly, his eyes snapped wide. The phone slipped from his hand, and he blurted out my name, “Adrianna!”
I rolled up the window, cutting off Howard’s stare. He immediately ordered the chauffeur to speed up and chase us.
But Madalyn clung to his arm affectionately, her fingertips brushing against his belt. “Howie, you didn’t drink the calming tea last night, did you? All that exhaustion makes you see things.
“Don’t worry. I’ll help you relax tonight.”
The growing desire burned away every shred of reason Howard had left.
Unable to resist himself, he captured Madalyn’s lips in a fervent kiss.
Half an hour later, Howard arrived at the hotel. After straightening his clothes, he got out of the car to search for me.
He asked everyone around, but not a single person had seen me.
The host anxiously said that the adoption ceremony would start in five minutes, and I must be present.
In his urgency, Howard called Susan. “Susan, where is Adri?”
The words had barely left his lips when Susan held a box and rushed in through the doors. “Mr. Atkinson, I found this by Mrs. Atkinson’s bed this morning. She specifically asked me to deliver it to you at this time.”
Shakily, he opened the box.
When he saw the divorce agreement he had signed, his body stiffened, and his face turned pale.